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Akbar Novruz

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Russian, Ukrainian and United States negotiators are set to hold talks in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, marking the first known meeting involving all three sides since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, Azernews reports.

Officials describe the meeting as a cautious but significant diplomatic step amid stalled peace efforts and continued fighting.

The Kremlin confirmed Russia’s participation following a late-night meeting in Moscow between President Vladimir Putin and US envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the discussions were “substantive, constructive and very frank,” while stressing that any long-term settlement remains impossible without resolving territorial disputes.

According to Ushakov, Putin reiterated that Russia is “sincerely interested” in a diplomatic solution but made clear that Moscow would continue pursuing the objectives of its “special military operation” until territorial issues are settled. He referenced the so-called Anchorage formula, agreed during last year’s Trump–Putin summit in Alaska, as the basis for any durable peace.

Ukraine, however, remains firm that territorial concessions cannot be one-sided. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised European allies for a lack of “political will” in confronting Russia, while acknowledging that the future status of eastern Ukrainian territories remains the central obstacle.

“It’s all about the land. This is the issue which is not solved yet,” Zelensky said, adding that “the Russians have to be ready for compromises, not only Ukraine.”

One of the key sticking points is Moscow’s demand that Kyiv relinquish control over the remaining 25 percent of the Donetsk region still held by Ukrainian forces. Zelensky has countered with a proposal to withdraw troops by up to 40 kilometres from parts of Donbas to create a demilitarised free economic zone, provided Russia does the same. The US-backed plan reportedly links such an arrangement to robust security guarantees for Ukraine.

The seriousness of the Abu Dhabi talks is reflected in the seniority of the delegations. Ukraine’s team includes National Security and Defence Council head Rustem Umerov, intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, negotiator David Arakhamia, and Chief of the General Staff Andrii Hnatov. Russia’s delegation will be led by GRU Director General Igor Kostyukov, while investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to hold parallel discussions with US representatives on economic issues.

Another unresolved issue looming over the talks is the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, seized by Russian forces in March 2022 and regarded by Kyiv as non-negotiable. Zelensky has also confirmed that he reached a preliminary understanding with Trump on future US security guarantees for Ukraine, though any agreement would require approval by both the US Congress and Ukraine’s parliament.

While expectations of an immediate breakthrough remain low, the Abu Dhabi meeting signals a shift from indirect contacts to structured trilateral engagement. Analysts suggest the talks could lay the groundwork for a phased process, beginning with confidence-building measures, energy and infrastructure security, and limited demilitarisation, before addressing the most contentious territorial questions.

For Washington, the talks offer a chance to test whether Moscow is prepared to move beyond battlefield logic toward a negotiated framework. Donald Trump stated on Thursday that it would be an act of 'stupidity' if Ukraine stalls the next steps of the negotiations. For Kyiv, they provide an opportunity to anchor any future deal in firm security guarantees. For Russia, participation allows it to reassert its conditions while probing the limits of Western unity.

Whether the UAE talks become a turning point or merely another diplomatic waypoint will depend on whether the land question, the core of the conflict, can move from rigid positions to negotiated compromise.